Aiming to expand the reach of a small-but-growing 4K video- on-demand library introduced late last year, DirecTV last week unveiled a new Ultra HD-capable box called the 4K Genie Mini.
The satellite-TV provider’s new device is about the size of a paperback book and equipped with Dolby Digital Plus audio decoding. It will boost the number of customers who can watch 4K fare without requiring a DirecTV-ready 4K TV. The new Mini box works in conjunction with the DirecTV Genie HD DVR (model HR34 and above).
DirecTV currently offers a menu of 4K UHD movies and documentaries, including The Godfather, Transformers, Braveheart and Star Trek. The company initially offered UHD fare by linking its Genie HD DVR to 4K TVs from Samsung. DirecTV said it will extend that support to 4K sets from LG and Sony and other TV manufacturers “soon.”
DirecTV’s device comes amid other pay-TV activity centered on Ultra HD. Earlier this month, Canada’s Vidéotron rolled out a 4K box made by Samsung, which followed Comcast’s launch of a 4K streaming app for Samsung TVs. Comcast will soon launch 4K-capable boxes for its X1 platform. Dish Network is nearing the debut of a 4K service that will run on a new UHD-capable Joey box.
